ATLANTA REGIONAL OFFICE
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Mr. James Holmes, Director
101 Marietta St., NW, Ste 3200
Atlanta, GA 30303-2700
Telephone: 404-730-3832
CB03-R.37
For Immediate Release
Census Bureau Updating Information on Nation's Veterans
The nation had 24.3 million veterans as of 2001, of whom 1.6 million
were women and 2.2 million had a service-connected disability. Have these
numbers increased, decreased or stayed the same since then?
The Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey (CPS), which began
in 1942 and is the largest and longest-running household survey in the
country, will yield an answer to these and other questions about the
nation's military veterans.
"The survey collects information on veterans status by a variety of
characteristics, such as age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, period of
service, labor force status and disability status," said James Holmes,
director of the Census Bureau's Atlanta regional office. "The Census
Bureau collects these data in the CPS every other August. The statistics
are used to analyze the characteristics of disabled veterans, measure the
effectiveness of current veterans' benefits programs and help plan future
programs and facilities for veterans."
Census Bureau field representatives also ask about the characteristics
of the country's labor force. Data are collected on employment,
unemployment, hours of work, earnings, age, sex, race, marital status,
educational attainment, occupation and industry. From these data comes the
monthly unemployment rate, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is
scheduled to release on Sept. 5, 2003.
By law, the Census Bureau must keep confidential all information that
would identify survey respondents or their addresses. Local households
selected in the nationwide sample receive a letter from Census Bureau
Director Louis Kincannon. Some will be interviewed by telephone and
others, in person. The field representatives carry official identification
cards.
Sponsored by the BLS and the Census Bureau, the CPS will be conducted
this year by the Census Bureau during the week of Aug. 17, 2003. At that
time, nearly 2,000 Census Bureau field representatives will conduct
interviews of about 78,000 households nationwide.
August 2003
available free from Adobe.
